Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spadalu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Spathiphyllum  plant named ‘Spadalu’, characterized by its upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit; freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants; glossy dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; white-colored spathes that are positioned above and between the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes; and good inflorescence longevity.

Botanical designation: Spathiphyllum Schott.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SPADALU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum Schott. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Spadalu’.

The new Spathiphyllum plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new year-round flowering Spathiphyllum plants that have glossy dark green-colored leaves, large white-colored spathes and good postproduction longevity.

The new Spathiphyllum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in September, 2004, in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 19961243-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20020969-001, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Spathiphyllum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands in March, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Spathiphyllum plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since June, 2006 has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Spadalu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Spadalu’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants.     -   3. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. White-colored spathes that are positioned above and between         the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes.     -   6. Good inflorescence longevity.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more freely clumping than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have darker green-colored         leaves than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have glossier leaves than         plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more freely clumping than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have lighter green-colored         leaves than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have glossier leaves than         plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum can also be compared to plants of Spathiphyllum spp. ‘Sparego’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,457. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Spathiphyllum differed from plants of ‘Sparego’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum were more freely clumping         than plants of ‘Sparego’.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum had smaller spathes than         plants of ‘Sparego’.     -   3. Spathes of plants of the new Spathiphyllum were whiter in         color than spathes of plants of ‘Sparego’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Spathiphyllum plant. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Spathiphyllum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Spadalu’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Spadalu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 17-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. Plants were grown under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Spathiphyllum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 19° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from about 19° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about five kilolux. Plants were 36 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Spadalu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number             19961243-001, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number             20020969-001, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About eleven days at 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 215 days             at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 240 days             at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white, close             to 155D, in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant shape.—Upright and outwardly arching plant habit,             uniform inverted triangular habit.         -   Growth habit.—Freely clumping, bushy and dense growth habit;             about six clumps per plant; moderately vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About 51             cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of             inflorescences.—About 72.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 61.7 cm.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 28.3 cm. Width: About 11.9 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate             to ovate. Apex: Narrowly apiculate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire; slightly undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly leathery. Luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Between 137A and             146A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Between N137D and 147A;             venation, close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 144A. Petiole:             Length (excluding geniculum): About 17.8 cm. Diameter, just             below geniculum: About 5 mm. Diameter, at plant base: About             1 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Slightly glossy.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A. Geniculum             length: About 2.8 cm. Geniculum diameter: About 6 mm.             Geniculum texture: Smooth, glabrous. Geniculum luster:             Slightly glossy. Geniculum color, upper and lower surfaces:             Between 144C and 146C. Wing length: About 16.2 cm. Wing             diameter: About 7 mm. Wing color: Close to N137A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement and flowering habit.—Slightly             cupped erect spathes with columnar spadices held above and             between the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes;             flowering structures arise from leaf axils; plants begin             flowering about six months after planting; freely and             continuous flowering year-round in The Netherlands;             typically about six inflorescences develop per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Faint; sweet and pleasant.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about three             weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 17 cm. Width: About 9.6 cm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Apiculate; twisting. Base: Obtuse with truncate             tendencies. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly leathery. Luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Glossy. Color: When developing, front             surface: Close to 155A to 155B; at the apex, close to 144A             to 144B. When developing, rear surface: Close to 155A to             155B; main vein and at the apex, close to 144A. Fully             developed, front surface: Close to NN155A; main vein and             towards the apex, close to 145B; at the apex, close to 137B;             with development, color becoming closer to 144B. Fully             developed, rear surface: Close to NN155A; main vein and at             the apex, close to 143A to 143B.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 6.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Shape:             Columnar, tapering towards the apex; apex, obtuse; base,             obtuse; cross-section, rounded. Aspect: Mostly erect. Color:             Immature: Between 150D and 157A. Mature: Close to 155A.             Flowers: Quantity per spadix: Numerous, about 175. Shape:             Rounded. Height: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Anther             color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 155D. Stigma shape: Ovoid. Stigma color: Close to             NN155A. Ovary color: Close to 155A.         -   Scape.—Length: About 52.2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Aspect: Erect             to about 15° from vertical. Color: Between 143A and 146A;             towards the base, close to 145A to 145B.         -   Seed and fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Spathiphyllum. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to     Spathiphyllum. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to     about 36° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spadalu’ as illustrated and described. 